A Man of Letters
by Scroll Keeper
Summary: Don Alejandro is both happy and sad with the son he got back from Spain. Set between Episode 2 and Episode 3 of Disney Zorro.


Title: A Man of Letters

Summary: Don Alejandro is both happy and sad with the son he got back from Spain. Set between Episode 2 and Episode 3 of Disney Zorro.

Author's Note: Don't own anyone. The timeline is pretty much not possible, so this story is mostly an AU that takes place somewhere during episode two and episode three.

* * *

**A Man of Letters**

His prayer was answered.

Monastario was getting out of hand. Then one day, out of the night, a savior appeared, spiriting Don Nacho to who-knew-where.

Since the lancers seemed busy with locating the fugitives, Alejandro did not pay a visit to his neighbor until later. And not before he went to Nacho's family, to offer help, commiserate and find out news. Which was precious little, other than he was supposedly safe and that piece of news came from Diego.

_What are you up to now, my son?_

Either he tried to catch up with his wayward son, or he proceeded to visit Nacho as planned.

No, there was no catching up involved. The boy must be at home already. He could continue to await his father's displeasure until Alejandro sorted out Nacho's situation.

His neighbor must be somewhere near. And if he was safe, that must be a place that even the military could not reach.

"Padre Felipe said my son came to visit you?" Alejandro said as he walked into the church. The mission. Of course. That boy was as clever as a fox.

Nacho lifted his head. "You haven't seen him recently?"

"I went into the pueblo earlier."

"Ah. I take it you don't know yet of my plan to go to Monterey?"

Despite himself, Alejandro smiled. "That is a better plan than Diego's."

"Really? How so?"

"He wants to write a letter to the governor. A letter! Bah!"

"It is not a bad plan," Nacho offered in a mild voice.

"You know very well it is! Monastario has spies everywhere. That letter would never go anywhere near Monterey and would get my son hang."

"Sit down, Alejandro." Nacho waved toward a chair. "I got dizzy looking at you pacing back and forth."

Alejandro glared but sat down where his friend wanted. "You are safe, at least for a moment. Unlike my son—"

"What? How could Diego not be safe?"

"I just told you about his stupid letter!" Alejandro slammed his fist down on the table. (Three seconds late. Hopefully, Nacho didn't notice.)

"Wasn't it only a plan? I am sure he has not sent it or perhaps has not even written it yet."

"Ah, claiming to know him better than his own father does, are you not?"

Nacho blinked. "What do you mean?"

"You claimed this letter doesn't exist, nor it is in danger of existing."

"Ah." Nacho smiled. "Did I? How remiss of me."

"Well?" Alejandro put his hands on his hip. Not that the scoundrel could see, but it was the principal of the thing.

"Well what?"

"What is he about then, if not writing useless letters?"

Nacho coughed. "Really, Alejandro. You are his father. Why don't you ask him instead of me?"

"You seem to think you can predict his actions, that's why. And, while we have our disagreements, I have better faith in you answering, unlike my son who thinks a straight answer is something stricken from his vocabulary."

"I do not know what Diego is about. But perhaps, if you would take my suggestion, he should not be made to feel like you were finding faults with him."

"Ha! And now you think you know how to deal with my son." Alejandro stood and leaned forward on the table. "No matter what I do, the boy seems to think I'm an enemy to be diverted. He can't even declare open war with me!"

Nacho shrugged. "I'm out of ideas. Although, if you ask me, you are making this...ah...strife with your son to be bigger than it actually is."

"And I do not recall asking for your unsolicited advice!" Reaching the door, Alejandro turned. "Maybe living alone will cure that busybody blood of yours. Adios. Don't look for me to return anytime soon."

* * *

"Father, you didn't just leave Don Nacho in a huff!"

Amazingly, the boy actually stopped playing that silly piano that he always claimed was way out of tune.

"Nacho wasn't the one in a huff. I was. And it's all your fault."

Diego came forward and peered at his father. "You don't have a fever, do you? This California sun is so relentless. It could, you know, make one quite touch in the head."

Alejandro waved his son's hand away. "I am not sick. More to the point, the way Nacho had been carrying on, everyone would've thought you were _his_ son instead of mine."

"Well, if you faithfully paraphrased him, it does appear that he knows me quite well."

"And I do not?"

"I did not say that, Father."

"You don't have to say it! It's enough that you don't agree that your time in idleness is not worthless."

Diego smiled a gentle smile. "But I do agree, Father. You are perfect in the reading of my character."

"As a spineless weakling, a coward?!" Alejandro bellowed "Have you no shame? No recognition as to what is due to the de la Vega name?"

For a moment, Diego's eyes blazed. But then the fire quickly disappeared as his calmness reasserted itself.

"What did I do wrong, Father? On your summon, I abandoned my studies and returned home. Should I not have done that?"

"I wanted you to come back. It is how you now comport yourself that troubles me."

Diego was wide-eyed. "But how so, Father? I have not taken up gambling, drinking to excess, or dallying with the young women here. In fact, I am the very model of respectability, if I say so myself. Surely this is what you want for the de la Vega name."

"I don't know, Diego. I feel like we have lost control of our discussion."

"Of the point of it, you mean? That's the nature of arguments, Father. You win some, you lose some, and sometimes, no one wins."

Alejandro sighed.

"I have some business I need to attend to. We can discuss what is due to the de la Vega name at some other time."

Diego spread his arms, his palms up. "Certainly, Father."

Alejandro sighed again when he was alone. He wished "business" could simply be an excuse to break up a lost discussion. Now he would need to go to the Torres Hacienda, again. His son obviously wasn't going to do anything about their unfortunate head vaquero.

* * *

Having mostly forgotten his resolve to leave Nacho to his lonesome fate, Alejandro returned to the mission later that night. It was fortunate things turned out as well as they did.

"Tell me what you really think about this nonsense of Diego being a man of letters," he demanded without any preamble. His friend didn't look worse for wear. Pleasantries and concerns could be pushed back until later.

Nacho only stared blankly.

"What?!" Alejandro barked to cover the fact that the stare unnerved him.

Nacho blinked. "I beg your pardon. But if you will recall, you have no great love for my opinion. How did you put it, my "unsolicited advice"?"

Alejandro felt his face heated. "Your opinion is solicited now," he said in a moderated tone. "I am asking you about Diego. That boy will be the death of me yet."

Nacho cocked his head. "What's the matter? Has he done something to displease you? Other than this letter whose existence I'm uncertain of, that is?"

"Displease me?" Alejandro shook his fist up and down. "No, I am furious that the boy is obviously playing one of his tricks on me."

"I'd have more sympathy if I was not in such a dire strait myself," Don Nacho said in a dry voice.

Alejandro blanched. "I'm sorry, Nacho. Can I do anything for you?"

"Let's see. Diego already offered to take words to my family. No, in fact, he must have already visited them by this time. So you can go right on with lacerating his character."

"Doing it a bit too thick, my friend?"

"No, I'm vastly entertained, to tell you the truth. The good padre is a fine company, but there are things I would rather enjoy discussing with my good friend Alejandro."

"If you believe flattery will get you somewhere, you're very much mistaken."

"You are right, of course. It is not yet safe for me to leave the church sanctuary."

"I disagree. You should leave now before Monastario finds you."

"...Before that, I would like to again meet and thank the man who saved my life."

"...This man, I saw his wanted poster and heard tales of him in the pueblo. According to our comandante, he is a masked demon dressed in black from head to toe, who is evil to the core."

"I would say he is more of a trickster who delights in flaunting Monastario's ill-deserved authority. But the man is noble for all that."

"How do you know he is noble? The man is an outlaw who hides his face."

Don Nacho looked solemn.

"Not that I wish you ill, but if you have a chance to have your life saved by him, you would know. Masked or not, the man called Zorro has not done anything to betray my trust."

"He might simply be waiting for his chance. A word to Monastario as to where you are, and he will become a rich man."

"Why are you so determined to dislike a man you have never met?"

Ah, Nacho was too clever to take the bait. Was he too clever in the other matter, too? But no matter - Nacho could be trusted.

"I have a feeling this masked bandit will continue to come between my son and me."

Don Nacho looked grave. "You have my sympathy."

"Only a little of which that you can spare, eh? But give me some advice, will you?"

"I only have a daughter."

"But you were a young man once."

"You yourself were a young man once, too."

"I was never a man of letters, or whatever Diego calls himself. And I need a third-party opinion - I am too close to the situation."

"Ah, in that case, you simply don't let this masked bandit come between the two of you."

Alejandro resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "That's easy to say."

"It is easy to do, too. You don't introduce Zorro into your conversations, and if Diego brings him up, you have no opinion on him. Problem solved."

It was a pity Nacho could not solve his own problem as easily and tidily in a neat bow. But going to Monterey was the best idea they had at the moment. Alejandro spent the rest of his visit helping Nacho work out the particulars.

* * *

"How was your yesterday, mi hijo?"

Diego was sitting on the piano bench, but, again, he was not playing that out-of-tune piano. Or any other off-keyed musical instrument, for that matter. Alejandro was starting to not like his son's unpredictability.

"Pretty much uneventful until our revered comandante showed up."

"Monastario, here?" _And you didn't think to mention this when we talked yesterday? What's the matter with you?_

Fortunately or unfortunately, his son was not a mind reader. And Nacho probably would say that's because he didn't ask about his son's day yesterday. _Get out of my head, Nacho, and leave me alone with my son._

Diego nodded. "He seemed to think that Zorro could be found at our hacienda."

"Did he find this masked bandit?"

Diego shrugged. "Yes and No."

"What does that mean?"

"Benito was taken away on suspicion of being Zorro, despite my protest. Then later the real Zorro apparently showed up, so our comandante and his lancers came chasing after him. I had to tell them there are no criminals at our house."

"You did right, Diego. This bandit would not be welcome in our house."

Was it his imagination, or did Diego twitch a little?

"You don't approve of this outlaw, Father?"

"I don't know the man well enough to approve or disapprove of him."

And that was true. This Zorro would be around until Monastario's reign of terror was finished, that much he was certain. But after that?

"Well, as for me, I don't approve of that bandit. Risking his life to help a prisoner, although I do like our neighbor so I'm glad he is rescued, surely his family couldn't like that."

"Nacho's family? He told me you went to see Elena."

Alejandro almost chuckled at the exaggerated way Diego rolled his eyes.

"Don't let Don Nacho hear you misquoting him."

"But you did see the girl."

"To tell her that her father is safe, that is all. So put your matchmaking plan out of your mind."

"Now that you put the idea in my head..."

"Father!"

"All right. Nacho's family wouldn't like that Zorro-"

"Zorro's family wouldn't like that he is putting himself in danger."

"So he wears a mask to hide his face. Yes, I think you're right, Diego. If Zorro is foolish enough to do his masquerade while he has those dependent on him, they would not like that he put himself in danger. I know I would not, were he a member of my family."

Diego looked almost relieved.

"You don't think I should be like him?"

"No, Diego."

"Why not? Most fathers would want someone daring for their son."

Was the boy testing him? Oh, Diego.

"I want you to be you, Diego, not an imitation of someone else."

"Is that so?" Diego's eyes twinkled. "By your logic, my caring for books and poetry should not bother you."

Alejandro took a deep breath. Don't let the boy beat you, but don't beat him down, either. Oh, the peril of being a single parent to a wily trickster.

"Diego, I do not have a problem with you caring for books, poetry, or anything else. I love you, all of you. Even those parts you keep hidden from me."

Diego appeared frozen, but he recovered quickly.

"I am an open-book, Father. What you see is what you get."

"Pray to god, Diego, that while you can fool many people, you will never have a cause to believe your own lies."

Oh, god. He didn't mean to say that. But the boy was being most provoking.

Diego looked stricken. "Father..." He reached out as if he wanted to touch his father.

"If you don't want to fence, don't. If you don't want to fight, don't. If you don't want to get involved in pueblo affairs, don't."

Diego furrowed his brow.

"I do not understand, Father. If you don't mind my not doing any of those, what have I done to earn your disapproval?"

"You have not been listening to me, Diego."

"I am sorry I have not." He looked suitably pertinent for a moment, then he laughed.

Alejandro's heart was not made of stone. It swelled with happiness that the boy did not feel the need to keep up guard.

"I never disapprove of you, Diego. Disappointed, perhaps, that acting the fribble was the best you could come up with."

His son looked mortally offended.

"I'm not acting the fribble. I am a man of letters and science. Although I should be grateful that you didn't believe I was really a fribble."

"Yes, Diego. Being a real fribble is beyond your ability. And I'm glad."

"You almost tempt me to prove you wrong."

Alejandro put up his hand. "No, don't. You go right on being...what...a man of letters, and I'll go right on to looking the other way."

Diego's eyes turned wary. "What do you mean?"

"Each to his own." Alejandro shrugged. "As long as you don't give me unsolicited advice, I'll refrain from bothering you in your own pursuit."

Diego laughed. "I bet you couldn't keep that resolution past a day."

Shaking his head, Alejandro smiled. "I thought you said you don't gamble, my son?"

"It is no gamble when my chance of winning is one hundred percent certainty."

"Perhaps I can keep that resolution if you give me a very good incentive."

Diego tilted his head. "Incentive?"

"Tell me something you have done without my knowledge."

"Are you going to punish me?"

"Much as I'm tempted, you are too old to be taken over my knee."

"You relieve my mind." Diego appeared to ponder what he could tell his father. "I hired a personal manservant without your knowledge. Does that count?"

Alejandro laughed. "You know it doesn't, but nice try. I'm off. See you later."

"See you later, Father."

Perhaps this would not be so bad. He would wait until Diego wanted to confide, or if god smiled on them, his son's trick might not remain necessary for long.

-The End-

* * *

Author's End Note: Thank you for reading. Whether you believe this story is possible or not, I'm glad you stayed with it until the end.

And you probably wouldn't believe that this stemmed from the desire to write more Don Nacho, because the story turned out not to be much about him. After reading the first chapter of "Heart of Illusion" before publishing it, I was suddenly more interested in the man who started Zorro on his way, so to speak. Oh, well, maybe Don Nacho will succeed in keeping Diego and his father from stealing spotlights in a mythical future story.

I'm probably rusty. I haven't been writing fanfic in the past few years, so I hope the story made some sense at least.


End file.
